AJ McCarron Will Not Play in Senior Bowl

Former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron has decided that he will not participate in the 2014 Reese's Senior Bowl on January 25, according to AL.com.

The record-breaking McCarron was born and raised in the same city the game is played, Mobile, which makes the decision a bit surprising. He said he'd be better off spending the time preparing for the NFL Draft

"I really appreciate being invited to play in the Senior Bowl," McCarron told Randy Kennedy of AL.com. "It is quite an honor and something I've dreamed about while growing up in the Mobile area. However, at this time, I'm putting all of my focus and energy into preparing for the NFL Combine, pro day and the rest of the pre-draft evaluation process. Therefore, I won't be taking part in the Senior Bowl."

Some draft analysts have shared the opinion that McCarron should play in the Senior Bowl to get the extra workouts in front of scouts and NFL front office personnel. Alabama's all-time leading passer is currently rated as the 8th-best quarterback in the upcoming draft by NFLDraftScout.com, which projects him into the third round of the draft.

The Crimson Tide will still be represented in Mobile by four players - punter Cody Mandell, linebacker C.J. Mosley, wide receiver Kevin Norwood, and defensive end Ed Stinson.